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How To Dispose of Household Items

It can be tricky to know exactly how you should be disposing of certain things in your home—Do you recycle it? Throw it in the trash? Flush it? Put it through the disposal? There are a lot of choices, but you’ll want to make sure you’re disposing of things properly to prevent slow-downs or unnecessary work for disposal companies. Additionally, disposing of things properly will lead to a healthier and safer world which is great for all of us!

If you’re ever struggling to determine the best way to dispose of something, you should first check the label of the item you’re trying to dispose of. If there are no disposal instructions, you should contact your local Household Hazardous Waste disposal center to see if they accept it or ask for advice on disposing of it safely.

Paint

Believe it or not, water-based and latex paint can be disposed of in a regular household trash can, as long as they’re dried out first. If you need to dry a large amount of paint, try combining it with litter, sand, or other absorbent material that will help it dry faster. On the other hand, oil-based paint is a household hazardous waste (HHW) and you should take it to your local HHW facility for disposal. Never throw these paints directly in the trash, even if they are dry.

Medication

Some, but not all medication can be disposed of in the toilet or trash, however, there are much better alternatives to this. Some programs are in place as “take-backs” for unused and out of date medications and you should check your local law enforcement agency’s website. If you aren’t able to wait for the next pickup day in your neighborhood, you should add water to the medication container and put it in a plastic bag full of sawdust, coffee grounds, or anything unpalatable.

Cleaning supplies

The best way to dispose of chemicals and household cleaning supplies is to find someone to use them, or give them to someone who can. If this isn’t an option, most cleaners can be mixed with water and dumped down the drain. For other, more specialized compounds, check the label or contact an HHW center to see if they’ll take them.

Old movies or DVDs

Disposing of old VHS tapes and movies can also be a struggle. Many people will throw these in the trash, not realizing that it is a potential hazard. The first thing you should try is passing them onto someone else by either selling them in a garage sale or taking them to a donation center like Goodwill. If this doesn’t work out, you should take them to your local dump for disposal.

Batteries

The most common question people having when disposing of household items is, “where do I dispose of my used batteries?” It can be complicated, so it’s no wonder so many people struggle with it.

If you have a rechargeable battery that you need to get rid of, take it to Best Buy or a local waste facility. Many electronics stores will take used batteries, cell phone batteries, and other tech as long as it’s under 10 pounds.

If you have any problems with waste disposal or recycling, don’t hesitate to contact Oak Disposal Services today! Our highest priority is to keep our community safe and give you waste disposal options that are convenient for you and don’t leave you wondering whether you’ve disposed of something properly.

We have residential and commercial trash pickup, construction cleanup, portable toilets, and recycling, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!